Church News Downplays Significance of Book of Abraham

[scottie]

http://mormonmatters.org/2009/08/31/...ok-of-abraham/

[TripletDaddy]

I was puzzled by some of the logic used here when I first read this.

I am not overly thrilled by justifying relevance, at least in part, by frequency of citation in General Conference. This will make all but "less relevant" several books on the OT, and likely the NT, as well.

Also, there seems to be an obvious dancing around the huge smoking gun issue related to the Book of Abraham and its modern day museum roots. If it is not the be-all end-all and not central to our doctrine, then why not discuss the concerns expressly? Just a thought, I guess.

[ERCougar]

I wonder if we'll ever get to the point of admitting that we are a church founded by a modern-day prophet with the aid of props to help establish authenticity. It seems we're increasingly moving in that direction.

[Art Vandelay]

I wonder if we'll ever get to the point of admitting that we are a church founded by a modern-day prophet with the aid of props to help establish authenticity. It seems we're increasingly moving in that direction.

Not disagreeing, or agreeing, but define "prop". Specifically in relation to BoM, D&C and/or PGP.

[RobinFinderson]

I wonder if we'll ever get to the point of admitting that we are a church founded by a modern-day prophet with the aid of props to help establish authenticity. It seems we're increasingly moving in that direction.

Ahh-HAH! So that explains the importance of the ubiquitous and all-important relief society lesson table setting/centerpiece! These sisteren are carrying forward the early church leaders' appreciation of props.

[All-American]

I trust you've all actually read the article?

[Sleeping in EQ]

For some time, the Church has quietly been treating the BoA like an "apocryphal work."

Never mind that it's scripture:

If someone "gets into" the facsimiles, the ward Danites consider that person a kook.

If someone "gets into" the "astronomy" in the BoA, the ward Danites consider that person a kook.

If someone actually tries to teach that stuff, they won't be teaching very long.

Lesson manuals cut around most of the BoA. People whisper about "keeping it simple" if you even express a capacity to discuss it. People who take many OT stories literally, blanche and mumble about symbolism when Kokaubeam is the topic de jour.

Progressive intellectuals in the Church have long considered the BoA apocryphal, but administrators are not about to throw them a bone.

So the BoA sits there, mostly reduced to a very precise cut from Abraham 3, and attached to platitudes when necessary.

[ERCougar]

I trust you've all actually read the article?

Yes, I did.
My interpretation of his response: "Even if we can't establish the authenticity of the translation of the BOA, it doesn't matter because the key principles we've gleaned from it are true."

IOW, the papyrus is a prop.

[Solon]

I trust you've all actually read the article?

More than any other message, Gee seems to me to be saying, "LDS Apologists may lose the Book of Abraham battle, but it's an inconsequential battle."

From Gee's speech:

"Third, how the Book of Abraham was translated is unimportant. The Church does not stand or fall on the Book of Abraham.

The second sentence is true (as far as I know). The first sentence is a dodge.

[TripletDaddy]

Not disagreeing, or agreeing, but define "prop". Specifically in relation to BoM, D&C and/or PGP.

prop 8, prop 2, etc......

[JohnnyLingo]

For some time, the Church has quietly been treating the BoA like an "apocryphal work."

Never mind that it's scripture:

If someone "gets into" the facsimiles, the ward Danites consider that person a kook.

If someone "gets into" the "astronomy" in the BoA, the ward Danites consider that person a kook.

If someone actually tries to teach that stuff, they won't be teaching very long.

Those bad church members, labeling their brethren and sisters with mean words like "kook."

[Sleeping in EQ]

Those bad church members, labeling their brethren and sisters with mean words like "kook."

You do realize you're adding weight to my assertion.

[All-American]

Yes, I did.
My interpretation of his response: "Even if we can't establish the authenticity of the translation of the BOA, it doesn't matter because the key principles we've gleaned from it are true."

IOW, the papyrus is a prop.

And nobody's bothered by the fact that it was an admitted spoof?

[Sleeping in EQ]

And nobody's bothered by the fact that it was an admitted spoof?

The topic's a good one. The spoof just gives it pizazz.

[ERCougar]

And nobody's bothered by the fact that it was an admitted spoof?

I'm talking about the linked Church News article.